Financial Aspects:
From a financial point of view, the costs incurred by the management in building safety nets for workers are worth it in the long run. For example, offering them disability insurance, life insurance, installing air bags in transport vehicles, etc, are worthy investments when one considers the emotional and monetary distress that they would later save employees. Creating a feeling of security and trust among employees will benefit the company by reducing attrition rates, enhancing loyalty and increasing motivation level of employees. Hence, from a financial standpoint, every dollar spent toward building safety mechanisms for worker health, will indirectly boost the bottom line. Moreover, the provisions for fines in the OHSW Act, makes it prudent to invest in safety rather than pay for negligence and poor standards. For example, under the OHSW Act, a first offence would lead to a Division 2 fine and a subsequent offence a Division 1 fine. That preventing a mishap is wiser than paying after the fact is underscored by the elaborate dictates of the OHSW Act. The moral angle is also taken into account in the Act, as it states that “an employer must so far as is reasonably practicable, monitor the health and welfare of the employer’s employees in their employment with the employer, insofar as that monitoring is relevant to the prevention of work-related injuries” (www.austlii.edu.au, 2012) The verdict on Symons v Downer EDI Works Pty Ltd [2012] SAIRC 22 illustrates the financial cost of slack OHS management: “2/5/12 DOWNER EDI WORKS PTY LTD (ACN 008 709 608): was convicted and fined $187 500 plus costs after pleading guilty to a breach of s19(1). On 23 May 2009, a 50-year-old employee sustained severe injuries including partial tetraplegia when he slipped and fell into a pit, becoming trapped in an inclined belt.” (www.safework.sa.gov.au, 2012)
Moral Aspects:
Coming to the moral reasons for OHS measures I will look at worker safety at the level of corporate social responsibility. Workers should never merely be treated as production units to be fetched and disposed into the labour market. The moment one sees the humanity behind each worker, the necessity for ensuring their safety and wellbeing becomes clear. As a respected business corporation, our national transport company has a duty toward the larger community in which we operate. To the extent that workers are members of this community makes it our social duty to ensure their wellbeing. This argument may not be well received by shareholders, as it could cut into profitability. But, eventually, unless the company builds its reputation within the larger community, it is less likely to grow its goodwill and brand image – crucial intangibles for long term sustenance. (Archer, et.al, 2009)